Matson Logistics, a leading provider of logistics services throughout North America, has leased new distribution center space in West Chatham County.

The company has contracted for 65,000 square feet on Norwest Court in West Savannah, with the ability to increase to 125,000 square feet.

“Our new operation expands on our ability to move retail goods in through the Port of Savannah,” said Mark Ferzacca, assistant vice president of sales for Matson Logistics Warehousing. “More companies are using East Coast distribution centers to have their product closer to a rapidly growing regional market.”

The new Matson acquisition follows a September expansion of its Bryan County operation, which added 237,600 square feet to its previous 135,000-square-foot facility, and is in addition to two buildings in Pooler with more than 1.1 million square feet.

The latest development is located within the building designated as Savannah D. The distribution center is less than two miles from Interstate 95, 10 miles from Interstate 16 and within eight miles of the Port of Savannah.

The property features a total of 125,000 square feet of space, a clearance of 32 feet and 65 truck bays.

“Matson’s decision to expand its East Coast distribution center space in Savannah will provide its customers cost-effective and reliable access to 44 percent of the U.S. population,” said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz.

The Port of Savannah forms a distribution center hub, with more than 4 million square feet of local warehouse space available, with an occupancy rate greater than 88 percent. There are 102 distribution centers across Georgia that are 500,000 square feet or larger, he said, adding that using Georgia’s deepwater ports to deliver goods much closer to Eastern U.S. markets cuts the cost of ground transportation.

Ferzacca agreed.

“Our new Savannah distribution center, with its strategic location and room for expansion, directly aligns with the demands of a growing regional population,” he said.

When companies decide to distribute goods from Georgia, it supports jobs in the logistics industry and beyond and makes good business sense for the company, said GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson.

“The Port of Savannah’s location as the most westerly of the Atlantic Coast ports makes it the gateway of choice for markets such as Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Louisville, Charlotte and beyond,” Jepson said.

ABOUT MATSON

Matson Logistics is a leading provider of multimodal transportation, warehousing and distribution services throughout North America. For more information, go to www.matson.com.